Meridian Sunrise
by iceangelmkx
Summary: He saw the first ray of light over the gorges in the distance and it occurred to him that he was about to witness his first sunrise in Meridian. He didn't want her to miss it.


**Warning: Fic will contain SPOILERS for Andromeda.**

 **A/N: I'm not quite sure if Meridian has the usual day/night cycle considering the sphere it's covered in. However, I'm going to just assume it does for now based on Liam's comments on the Hyperion at the end of the main story.**

 **Also, I hope nobody minds my custom Ryder here... and I also hope Reyes is in-character here since this is my first time writing about him.**

* * *

Meridian – It truly was a wonder. With blue skies and lush greens as far as the eyes could see, it held nearly the same kind of natural beauty as some of the worlds back in the Milky Way did. The air was fresh and clean save for the mild burning smell of metal from the recently crashed ship, Ark Hyperion.

It was almost hard to believe that after so many months of dread, dashed dreams, and lost hope, life in Andromeda for those who came here from the Milky Way can finally, and truly, begin. In Meridian, humanity found their home.

Many helped in the fight against the Archon and the Kett to make sure Meridian didn't fall into their hands. The real effort, however, came from the Human Pathfinder, Kira Ryder. It was she who was able to shut down the Archon for good as well as rendering Meridian, among other planets, habitable.

Sitting in his shuttle's pilot seat with a datapad in hand, Reyes Vidal found himself watching the beginning of a sunset just over the distant gorges. It did answer the question of whether Meridian even had a typical day and night cycle considering the Dyson Sphere that surrounded the planet.

He wondered if the Pathfinder was witnessing was he was seeing now...

Reyes frowned over the thought of Kira. Hours had passed since he saw her emerge from the Remnant site with her Tempest crew after the Archon was defeated. She was weary and was barely supporting her worse-off twin brother as they walked towards the waiting crowd. What really mattered in the end though was that she was _alive_. He still recalled the icy chill that ran through his veins when he heard her scream over the comm. It was the only time during the fight for Meridian where his own resolve faultered briefly. He was only reassured when he heard her talking to her brother after five very long minutes of no response. Time felt like it dragged even longer before he saw her with his own eyes.

Reyes wanted nothing more than to reach out to Kira and hold her close to him. Unfortunately, their... professions and need for discretion were the only two things stopping him. She was the Pathfinder, the beacon of hope for the Andromeda Initiative who represented all that was good in this new galaxy. He was an exile who left the initiative to become a smuggler and the 'Shena' for the Angaran Resistance. More secretly, he was the Charlatan, leader of the Collective gang on Kadara whose identity was a mystery to all but a select few (the Pathfinder being one of them). He only imagined the chaos their relationhip would cause if the Nexus got wind of it. Worse, Kira would get the brunt of the headache more than he would.

It also didn't help that not only Kira's AI, SAM, was broadcasting their victory for everyone to see, but also that one member of Nexus Leadership stood just a few feet away. Sure, Tiran Kandros was someone Kira had a good camaraderie with and he even earned Reyes's respect in the last twenty-four hours since the smuggler offered his assistance to the fight. But who knew surely what the turian would've thought of their relationhip. Business partners was one thing; most saw them that way in the first place. What they had? That was another...

The only thing they could do for now was acknowledge each other in silence and at a distance. He was already smiling at her when her science officer, who stood between them, stepped to the side. He didn't miss her own subtle smile at the corner of her lips, but it was the way her looked at him with those ocean blue eyes that struck him the most. Though she was clearly exhausted, those eyes were filled with relief and adoration – for _him._

He still couldn't figure out what he did to deserve such a good woman like her.

Reyes couldn't help the way his smile grew bigger under Kira's gaze. As much as he wanted to stay, he knew that he had to make his departure before he stared for too long with witnesses around them. Before he left, he winked at her. He nearly chuckled at the way her smile grew and the way her cheeks flushed a little red as he turned around and headed to his shuttle.

He promised himself that he would find her later today once the excitement of victory was a bit settled. That didn't stop him from sending her a message upon returning to his shuttle.

 _To: Kira Ryder_

 _From: Reyes Vidal_

 _Hey, hero of the hour. I'd like to see you later once everything's calm. Hopefully, the Archon didn't give you too much of a run for your money._

It was an hour before he heard from her. In the meantime, Reyes sent a message to his angaran friend and the front woman for his operations on Kadara, Keema Dohrgun, to let her know about Meridian. Once that task was done, he began to go through reports regarding current operations of the Collective. He only stopped once his omni-tool pinged, alerting him of her incoming message...

 _To: Reyes Vidal_

 _From: Kira Ryder_

 _Sending out remnant bots and mocking me while hooked up to machines is hardly worth a run for my money, though he tried his damndest with everything else involved. Still, I've been left with a monster of a headache. Doc ordered a 48-hour bedrest, so I'll be in my room on the Tempest until then. Come up in a few hours? I missed you._

Reyes gazed through the front window of his shuttle. The Tempest was settled just off to his right about halfway between him and the remnant site. He'd seen the ship plenty of times whenever it was docked at Kadara Port, but he never actually set foot onto the ship before.

He immediately thought of Kira's crew. They, well... didn't exactly have a high opinion of him, but he was grateful for how protective they were of their Pathfinder. It assured him that they would always watch her back during dangerous missions, like the one they just went through today. It was the sort of thing that made it easier for him to stay behind and help with defending the site's entrance alongside Kandros and the others while her team went inside.

Reyes swiftly sent another message...

 _To: Kira Ryder_

 _From Reyes Vidal_

 _You sure your crew won't throw me off the ship on sight?_

 _I missed you, too._

It didn't take long for her to reply again.

 _To: Reyes Vidal_

 _From: Kira Ryder_

 _They won't hear the end of it if they tried (except Peebee. She's never seemed to mind you). That reminds me, I think Drack might be starting to warm up to you just a little bit. Not sure though, but it's a start._

Reyes chuckled at that, being reminded of how Kira liked to call the krogan 'old man.' She cared about her crew, but had a soft spot for 'old man.' He did wonder what he did to somewhat start to gain the krogan's approval... not that they needed it, but Reyes was curious nevertheless.

He responded again...

 _To: Kira Ryder_

 _From: Reyes Vidal_

 _I'll come up to your ship in a few hours._

It took a few more minutes for an answer;

 _To: Reyes Vidal_

 _From: Kira Ryder_

 _I'll have SAM grant you access to my ship and my quarters. And don't worry... even though I think they plan to go to the Hyperion later, I'll make sure the crew don't bother you. I might be asleep when you arrive._

An incoming message from Keema distracted him briefly. He read her message before deciding to respond to the Pathfinder one more time;

 _To: Kira Ryder_

 _From: Reyes Vidal_

 _Who said I was worried?_

 _Until then, I'll just sit here and think of you._

 _Okay, I'll think of you while catching up on reports ;) (nothing big, I promise)._

 _Actually, I'm already thinking about you asleep in your bed wearing nothing under the sheets. Thanks a lot, I'm now feeling quite distracted. ;)_

Reyes chuckled to himself as he sent out that last note. Kira didn't take long to reply.

 _To: Reyes Vidal_

 _From: Kira Ryder_

 _You have only yourself to blame for that train of thought. :P_

Okay... one more message before he needed to work.

 _To: Kira Ryder_

 _From: Reyes Vidal_

 _Guilty as charged. ;)_

The hours went by faster than Reyes anticipated. The reports and the sent messages to his agents were done and he made sure to let them know that he'd be out of touch for the next forty-eight hours. The agents were only allowed to contact him if there was an emergency. For the next few minutes after, he witnessed Meridian's sunset.

It was quite a sight, maybe even a little better than the ones on Kadara mainly due to how clear and clean everything seemed. The sky was a mix of blue, pink, orange, and purple and shadows from the gorges and plant life casted over various parts of the land. It truly was beautiful. His only regret was that Kira wasn't here to see this with him.

Thoughts of Kira made Reyes stand up from his seat and he took a moment to stretch his muscles – still a bit sore from the earlier battle – before he locked up his datapads in a box and double-checking the code-lock on the flight controls. Once that was done, he exited his shuttle, locked the doors behind him, and began walking over to where the Tempest was parked.

The sun had set and the sky was blanketed in twilight by the time he reached the ship. As predicted, the crowd was gone and things were much calmer than it was a few hours ago. That made approaching the Tempest easier... no one was around to see him and give them the chance to ponder over why a smuggler was allowed on such a grand ship. The ship itself was a beautiful as Reyes remembered it, especially up close. Perhaps in another time, another life, he would've had the opportunity to pilot such a work of art, even if it was only for a little while.

Reyes just reached the start of the ramp leading up to the ship before the orange glow of his omni-tool caught his attention. "Hello, Mr. Vidal," the voice of SAM greeted. "You'll be entering the cargo bay momentarily. When you do, make a u-turn in either direction and through the door. It'll lead you to a hallway. The Pathfinder's Quarters are straight ahead. You've been granted access to enter."

Well. That was helpful. It didn't occur to him until now that he might get lost in the ship trying to find Kira's room. "Thanks, SAM," Reyes replied. A question occurred to him as he walked up the ramp. "Aside from Kira, is there anyone else on the ship?"

"Only Kira's brother, Luke Ryder, and Dr. T'Perro are on the ship," SAM informed. "The rest of the crew have disembarked for the Hyperion some time ago. They'll not likely return until much later."

Reyes nodded – not that the AI would see that or anything. "Thanks, SAM."

Upon reaching the cargo bay, Reyes made a right u-turn as directed. Not bothering to get a real look at his surroundings for right now, he was halfway to the door when he suddenly stopped in his tracks. His eyes had caught the sight of a young pyjak – a live one and not a statue judging by the movement of its tail - perched on top of a cargo box.

The pyjak didn't seem to mind the newcomer's presence as it tilted its head out of curiosity. It made a small sound deep within its chest that reminded Reyes of an Earth pigeon. More curiously, he wondered how the Tempest managed to obtain a pyjak in the first place. As far as he knew, no genomes for pet DNAs – except cats - were pulled from Nexus storage yet.

Reyes was almost tempted to pat the pyjak on the head, but quickly decided against it. Instead, he continued walking, going through the waiting door before going up a small ramp to another door that led to a hallway. From there, he saw the Pathfinder's Quarters straight ahead.

Reyes managed a few steps when more movement caught his attention. He turned his head to the right and noticed an asari dressed in white and red medical garb – Dr. Lexi T'Perro, he realized. Lexi noticed him at the same time and he didn't miss the quick intake of breath on her part, clearly not expecting him to be standing there.

"You startled me," Lexi admitted as she exhaled, trying to relax.

"That wasn't my intention," Reyes answered in earnest.

Lexi seemed to evaluate him for a moment with a small frown. Reyes knew of her from Kira, but only saw her for the first time at the Remanent site hours ago. "Ryder's resting in her quarters," the doctor informed him, her voice professional and neutral as most doctors sounded. "I prefer she wasn't disturbed, but she insisted that I make an exception with you."

As she spoke, Reyes happened to notice Luke Ryder lying still on one of the two meday beds, seemingly fallen asleep after what he'd been through. The resemblance to his sister wasn't hard to miss. And, clearly, good looks ran in the family.

Lexi cut through Reyes's thoughts. " _No_ strenuous activities for the next forty-eight hours," she stressed firmly, her gray eyes glaring almost suspiciously.

How Reyes managed to not chuckle – because of course the idea Lexi strongly suggested against was enticing – he didn't have a clue. He spread both arms out a bit from either side of him. "Don't worry," he assured the doctor. "I'll make sure the Pathfinder gets plenty of rest."

Reyes heard Lexi mumble something under her breath just as he turned and strutted in the direction of Kira's room. He was pretty sure it sounded like, 'I don't believe you.' He chuckled to himself, remembering how Kira said something similar on the day they met when he called himself a 'model gentleman.' She was right of course, and he admitted as much. That was back when he saw her as someone who can help him deliver 'death by a thousand cuts' against Sloane Kelly and the Outcast. Back when he took every opportunity for casual flirting before it unintentially turned towards a completely different direction... before thoughts of her occupied his waking hours... before she declared to his ex Zia that he was a better man than even _he_ believed... before she fiercely kissed him in that storage room at Sloane's party... before she told him that he was someone to her...

Before he fell in love with her...

Reyes suddenly stopped walking just as he reached the doors to Kira's room, the reality of the events from earlier today quickly dawning on him. He recalled how chaotic everything was from the moment they were orbiting Meridian. He wondered how close Kira came to the throes of death. Was it as close as last time when SAM had no choice but to stop her heart for a few seconds when she and her crew were captured on the Archon's ship? To be truthful... he didn't really want to know. One thing was for sure... her pained screams over the comm wasn't going to leave his mind anytime soon.

Pushing the dark thoughts out of his head and with a deep breath, Reyes stepped forward, the door to the Pathfinder's Quarters opening for him.

Reyes nearly whistled over the size of the room. It was bigger than his apartment at Kadara Port. The room was shaped in a half circle with large floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the currently darkness of Meridian. The overhead lights were on, but were just dim enough for someone to still able to find their way around. In front of him was a short black platform with a small console set on a rail.

Just to the right, an L-shaped couch was set next to a round side nightstand and a rectangular coffee table. On top of the coffee table was Kira's pride and joy; a Black Widow sniper rifle she herself modded and customized before she joined the Initiative. It was a constant companion at her back everytime she wore her armor. She even gave it a name; Lucy. One of these days, Reyes had to ask her the story behind that name, if there was one.

To the left was a king-size bed with two nightstands on either side. It was on the bed, right the middle, where Reyes found Kira lying on her side in a deep slumber. A small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he drank in the sight of her. Her dark brown hair was free from her usual ponytail, the strands pooling around past her shoulders and obstructing part of her face. She wore a black tank-top and the white sheets covered her from the waist down save for one bare foot. One arm was stretched out and the other was tucked under the pillow her head laid on.

Quietly, Reyes walked further into the room while removing his gloves from his hands, placing them down on the nightstand before carefully sitting down on the edge of the bed. He gazed at Kira for a few moments, her face so serene that he almost didn't want to wake her up. For now though, he chose to gently grasp her outstretched hand with his own while the other brushed back the strands of hair obstructing part of face before tucking it behind her ear and shoulder. Seeing more of her face, he had never seen her this relaxed since they met.

She was also breathtakingly beautiful to him.

Soon, he noticed the necklace he gave her the last time she was on Kadara; a pair of silver feathered angel wings, the thin chain hooked onto each tip, with a sapphire gem placed in between. Seeing her wearing it made his heart swell a bit as he didn't expect her to wear the jewelry to bed; the gift clearly meant that much to her. Seeing it again, he remembered why he got it for her in the first place.

Ever since the morning after Sloane's party, Reyes began to occasionally call her 'angel.' Actually, he thought of her as one weeks before, but he didn't actually voice it until then. Kira never questioned it until two months ago during her last visit to Kadara after he presented the necklace to her.

"Why 'angel?'" she asked then, her curiosity emphasized by the way she tilted her head to the side. "I'm not exactly close to being one last I checked."

Reyes actually had two truthful answers to that. He willingly offered the one that happened to be simple and easy. "Well, my dear, you surely are one compared to the likes of me." He followed that with a smirk and wink, earning an eyeroll from her along with a laugh. She thankfully accepted that answer.

The second answer, well... that was a little harder for him to explain, let alone admit out loud. Aside from the angel comparison, the necklace had also reminded him of the wings doned on the helmets the valkyries wore in various artwork depicting Norse Mythology.

The first time they fought alongside together at the Roekaar base (when they were investigating a series of murders that led to clues pointing to the angaran faction), Reyes witnessed with his own eyes how lethal Kira was in combat. She didn't hesitate to shoot the angaran rebel leader, who threatened the life of her and her crew, at point blank the second she got her hands on an assault rifle. From there, she picked off their enemies one by one with careful and deadly percision, like a valkyrie choosing those who would die and be sent to Valhalla.

Reyes wasn't sure what Kira would think of the comparison, but he saw her as both an angel – someone with a kind heart to even most exiles when others had given up on them - and a valkyrie – someone who doesn't hesitate to send her enemies to the afterlife - ever since that day. He was somewhat grateful that they agreed to not keep any big secrets from each other despite his offer to not have any more of those between them. This was one of those things he wasn't ready to share, not while their relationhip was still somewhat new. Someday though, he would tell her.

After reflecting over that, Reyes slowly leaned down to press a gentle kiss to her temple. As he expected while pulling away, the gesture stirred Kira awake, her eyes fluttering open. It took her a moment to shake off a bit of her sleep and her eyes were able to focus on him.

He felt her hand tenderly squeeze his. "Reyes," she breathed as she tugged his hand to brush her soft lips against his knuckles. The gesture made his breath catch in his throat for a moment.

"Hey," Reyes answered quietly. "You feeling okay?"

She groaned a little as her eyes became a little unfocused. "The headache's still there, but it's not as bad as it was earlier. Guess that means the meds Lexi gave me are working."

Reyes frowned as he reached with his free hand to gently brush her temple with the back of his fingers. "Did you hit your head?"

"No," Kira assured him, her cool breath tickling along his hand that she held close to her. "I, eh... all but lost my connection to SAM thanks to the Archon. Oh... and I was dead again for a few seconds when it happened. That's three times since I came to Andromeda. Luckily, SAM got in contact with Luke and they were able to somewhat reconnect the wiring before the Archon found him."

Hearing that made Reyes suck in a breath. "That can't be healthy," he ended up saying without thinking.

Kira closed her eyes as she sighed. "It wasn't my choice this time... though to be frank, neither was the first time."

His grasp on her hand tightened. "At least you came back to me..."

A smirk tugged at Kira's lips. "Well, you can't keep me away that easily." She followed that with a wink.

Reyes huffed a little in amusement, but that feeling quickly left him. He let out a small sigh, not feeling as witty as she was for once. "Just... at least try not to do that again for a while."

Kira gazed up at him quietly for a moment. Reyes kept his face neutral though there was a small hint of weariness in his amber eyes he hadn't meant to let slip judging by the concern on her face. Whether it was from their conversation or the day's events, he wasn't sure. Either way, he was glad that she didn't say anything about it.

She tightened her hold on his hand again. "You plan on staying for a while?" the Pathfinder asked. He realized that she tried to sound a little seductive, but her tired voice ended up croaking a bit on the last word, forcing her to clear her throat. He managed to not laugh to avoid offending her attempt on being suggestive.

Reyes continued to brush the fingers of his free hand along her dark brown strands near her temple. "You could say that," he replied with a small smirk.

Kira glared at him, though it was accompanied by the smile on her lips. "And here I thought you'd stake the first trading claim between Meridian and Kadara."

Reyes chuckled. "What do you think I've been doing for the last few hours?"

It was Kira's turn to giggle. "You _did_ say you'd spend the next few hours thinking of me wearing nothing under the sheets," she teasted. "Though as you can currently see, sorry I didn't make you fantasy a reality."

Reyes laughed as he moved his hand downward along her neck, shoulder, and back until it stopped at the seam of her black tank-top, his fingers grazing the soft skin there. "I... alternated between work and... being distracted by those tantalizing thoughts."

Kira rolled her eyes. "You're so damn cheesy."

"Like 'sorry I didn't make your fantasy a reality' was any better."

"...Touché."

"Besides, you love it."

Kira huffed in amusement. "Only a little." Her smile dropped only slightly. "But seriously, Kadara's not too far from here. I imagine a lot of trades will happen between both worlds once Meridian's in full swing."

Reyes simply nodded in agreement as he turned his head up to gaze through the large windows overlooking Meridian. It was completely dark now save for the artificial stars above. He couldn't help but ponder over how that was possible within the Dyson Sphere around the planet.

"It really is gorgeous out there, isn't it?" Reyes found himself asking aloud, his voice low and a bit in awe.

Kira frowned. "I wouldn't know. I've only had a quick glimpse or two since we got here. No chance to take everything in yet."

"You will soon, I promise," Reyes replied as he life the hand he held in his own to his lips. He left a kiss on the soft spot between her thumb and index finger.

Kira let out a soft breath at the touch, his lips warm against her skin. "You should give me the tour. I bet the view is amazing from your shuttle while flying."

The thought of that ran through Reyes's mind. He was already imagining them both on his shuttle flying over this newly discovered world. He was at the controls of course while she looked out the windows, her face serene with a hint of a smile with each new discovery and eyes staring out with wonder. Reyes would take her anywhere she wanted if it meant he would see that kind of joy on her face. The idea made him feel more of the lingering swell in his chest that's been there since he realized his love for her.

Reyes smiled at Kira. "We'll see," he said, his voice hinting at playfulness. He then let out a yawn, the pull of sleep starting to grasp him.

"Tired?" Kira asked with a smirk.

"It's been a long day," he admitted. "...I should get back to my shuttle."

Kira gaze down at their linked hands while biting her lower lip. "You know," she started to say. "You don't _have_ to go back yet. You could, well... stay here... if you wanted to..."

Reyes smirk came out looking smug. "Well... in that case, I should tell you that your doctor mentioned something about 'no strenuous activities.'"

"Ugh," Kira groaned. "Lexi stopped you on the way here just to say that, didn't she?"

"Not really." His eyes turned dark with desire. "Although I wouldn't mind ignoring doctor's orders if you're willing."

She let out a little chuckle before sighing. "To tell you the truth, even if I did want to, my bones really feel like jello right about now. Also, I feel like someone shoved a cinder block into my head."

Reyes hummed as he began reluctantly moved his hands from her and began to take off his boots and socks. "Head feels heavy now, I assume?"

"Yeah. I'm almost glad George the Pyjak isn't in the room at the moment screeching his head off. I'm sure you'll meet him soon during your stay."

"We've already met on my way here," Reyes said as he took off his vest and placed it by his boots. He then began to unzip the top half his flight suit. "How did you get a pyjak anyway?"

"He was a gift from a Nexus colleague named Professor Herik," Kira explained. "It's part of an experiment to see how pyjaks adapt to ship life."

"How's that working out?" Reyes asked as he stood up to remove his belt, the top half of his flight suit peeled to his waist and revealing a black undershirt.

"Aside from eating our chocolate stash, leaving a 'present' in Cora's helmet, and nearly getting eaten by Drack, it's actually going pretty well. He's no cat, but he's actually pretty sweet."

As he placed his belt on the nightstand next to his gloves, Reyes gazed at her. "You like cats?"

"Mmhm," Kira hummed as she closed her eyes. "Never had one though. Mom was allergic, so I relied on my friends' cats to fill that void." She opened her eyes just as Reyes took off his suit completely, leaving him in only his undershirt and black boxers. She, of course, admired the view, the desire to reach out to him strong, but the only thing stopping her was how tired she was. "What about you?" she ended up asking.

"I respect them," Reyes replied as he sat back down on the bed. "But I like dogs more. I used to have a German Shepherd when I was a kid. He was practically my best friend."

"What was his name?"

Reyes chuckled. "Rex. Cliche, yes, but my mother was the one who named him before I was even born. He looked out for me from day one and he was the reason I was eager to get home from school everyday." He small smile faded as he turned his head to look at no spot in particular in front of him. His voice was low at his next words. "He lived to be sixteen. Got sick one day and, well... that was not a good day. I was only twelve then." He took a deep breath. "At times, I think the day Rex died was the day my childhood ended. He was the best part of it, thinking back on it now..."

He felt Kira's hand gently brush up against his spine, her cool fingers gazing against him even with the barrier of his shirt there. "I'm sorry, Reyes," she uttered sadly and with a depth of sincerity.

Reyes let out a quick exhale, his way of shaking off the melancholy that snuck up on him, before removing his shirt and tossing it with the rest of his discareded clothes. "It was a long time ago," he started as he began to lie down on the bed. He turned to his side so that he was facing her. "But... thank you."

For a few moments, the two of them simply enjoyed each other's company in silence, amber and sapphire eyes gazing at one another. Reyes arms enclosed around her with one hand gently caressing along her back, a small smile gracing his lips when he felt her shudder at the touch. Kira grazed one hand from his sternum, over his collarbone, and up his neck, brushing over his pulse before cool fingers rested along his jawline. She then closed the small gap between them to press her lips against his.

Reyes returned the kiss, deep and yearning, as his arms tightened his hold on her. She nipped at his lower lip before her kiss matched his, the heat slowly growing between them. He wanted to take her then and there and it took all of his efforts to stop himself. Despite his earlier words to ignore doctor's order, he did in fact want her to rest tonight.

"I missed you," he murmured against her lips.

He felt her smile. "I missed you, too," she whispered. "You have no idea how happy I was to see you earlier today... and not because you came to help fight either." Her smile suddenly faded. "Then again... you had me worried."

Reyes pulled his head back to look at Kira, his eyebrows furrowed. "You were?"

Kira's fingers caressed along his jawline. "Silly, I know, especially since I know you can hold your own. But I couldn't help it, even while worrying about Luke." She frowned more. "Not sure if you saw him in the medbay on the way here..." She sighed after Reyes nodded. "He'll be all right, though he had to be put into another coma so his mind can heal. Lexi thinks this one won't be as long as the last one at least."

"Good to hear," Reyes said as the hand he had on her back moved up to comb through the strands of dark brown hair through his fingers. "Making you worry was not my intention, Kira," he said. He gave her another smirk. "Though I'm very flattered that you worried at all."

Kira rolled her eyes, but she chuckled nevertheless. "Well, I'm pretty sure I was the only one who did the worrying between the both of us."

He didn't respond, but the way his smirk fell and the dark look that suddenly came over his eyes was enough an answer for her. With a sullen gaze, she tightened her hold on him as she leaned closer, burying her face against his neck.

"I'm sorry..." Kira uttered softly.

Reyes held her closer to him. "You did what you needed to do, Kira. I don't fault you for that. You're the bravest and smartest woman I know, not to mention gorgeous."

"You forgot 'deadly behind a rifle,'" she teased.

Reyes laughed, his somber mood lightening a bit. "That you are." He let out a sigh. "It's just, well... as you said, it couldn't be helped."

He felt Kira nod slowly against his neck. "Guess it really is natural no matter how hard we try not to, well, worry..." she murmured just before a long, deep yawn overtook her. She then seemed to relax more against him, her hold on him loosening a bit.

"I'm sorry," Kira said quietly, suddenly sounding a little far away. "I wish we can just... I'm tired and I can't keep my eyes open..."

Reyes leaned down to leave a kiss at the top of her head. "It's fine, angel. Get some rest. I'm not going anywhere for a while."

Reyes waited until Kira fell asleep in his arms before he soon followed...

* * *

The world of Meridian was still cloaked in darkness when Reyes opened his eyes after a dreamless sleep. It took a moment for his vision to adjust to the lack of light... and another to remember where he was.

One arm was wrapped around Kira's sleeping form, though she turned onto her other side during the night. That left his hand resting over her stomach and her back leaning against his chest. Her breaths were slow and even, indicating that she was in a deep sleep.

For a while, Reyes laid with her like this. His face leaned close to her hair and he could smell the faint scent of honeydew from the shampoo she used. In these few quiet moments, Reyes found himself wondering what would happen to him and Kira down the road. Between their long-distance relationship, her job with the Initiative and as a Pathfinder, and he with his work on Kadara and as the Charlatan, their future in the long-run was uncertain.

Once in a while, when the nights were especially lonely, Reyes pondered over what it would be like to wake up next to her every morning, to be greeted by those ocean blue eyes that always looked at him with adoration, without the inevitability of her departure hanging over them. For now though, all they could do was savor every moment they do have with each other whenever it presented itself. The rest, if willing, would come later.

Reyes wasn't sure how long he laid in bed while simply relishing the feel of his arms around Kira. Eventually though, the need the use the restroom won over. He carefully left the bed and got on his undershirt before leaving her quarters, trying to figure out why those who built this ship didn't bother to build a private bathroom in the Pathfinder's Quarters. They surely had enough space for one in this large room.

Luckily, Reyes didn't run into anyone while he ventured out of Kira's room. Either her crew hadn't returned from the Hyperion yet, or they were all settled in for the night.

A few minutes later, Reyes returned to the Pathfinder's Quarters. As soon as the doors opened, the too-large windows gave the view of what he realized was the start of sunrise. The darkness gave way to a mix shade of blue above the distant gorges that were still shrouded in black shadows. The only noticable glow for now were the green lights coming from the remnant building where they made their last stand not even twenty-four hours ago.

It took a second to register in his mind, but it suddenly occurred to Reyes that he was about to see his first sunrise on Meridian. And remembering what Kira told him about not getting the opportunity to really look at this new world, well... needless to say, he didn't want her to miss it.

Quietly, Reyes approaced the bed, seeing that Kira turned over onto her back since he left. Once within reach, he touched her shoulder and shook her gently.

"Kira," he whispered. "Wake up."

He wasn't surprised when she groaned, half tired and half annoyed. She turned onto her side, her eyebrows furrowed. Reyes decided to try again. This time, he attempted to coax her by smoothing one hand down her upper arm and back up to her shoulder again.

"Hrrm," Kira grumbled. "Too early..."

Suddenly, her eyes snapped opened before she lifted her head from the pillow. "Wait, shit, are we under attack?!"

Reyes immediately shook his head. "No, angel, everything's fine."

Kira let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, the tensity in her body easing off. "Oh... good..." She then reached up to rub her tired eyes with her hands. "Then... why the early wake-up call?"

Reyes reached for Kira's hand and took it in his. "Because I want to show you something and this can't wait. You don't even need to leave the room. I promise."

The corners of Kira's lips tilted upward. "Well... when you put it that way... just... also promise me that I can go back to sleep after you show me... whatever it is you want to show me."

Reyes chuckled as he took her other hand and began to pull her up from the bed. "We'll see," he teased.

Reyes led Kira to the small platform that overlooked Meridian. Once they got on it, he watched her just as she stared out the window, her eyes still a bit heavy from just waking up.

"What am I supposed to be looking at?" Kira asked in confusion, her voice groggy still.

Reyes moved a bit so that he was standing behind her. He wrapped both of his arms around her waist and leaned in until his chest was flushed against her back. Kira was only a few inches shorter than him, making it easy for him to move his head a bit so that his lips were close to her ear.

"Our first Meridian sunrise," he murmured.

He watched her face with delight as his words sunk in. Her eyes widened for a moment before they relaxed and her lips slightly parted in awe at the sight before her. "Wow..." she murmured under her breath. Her hands soon reached up to place them where his rested above her navel.

For a while, they stood on the platform in silence as they watched the light on Meridian become brighter and brighter with each passing minute. The sun... or whatever light source was being used within the Dyson Sphere, was not in their view, but the sky was soon changing into the familiar light blue and the details on the gorges could now be seen. Down below the hill where the Tempest rested, there were already people of all species – either from the Hyperion or those who came from all over Heleus to assist - exploring their new surroundings.

"It's so beautiful," Kira whispered after some time. "This was worth the fight and all the struggle..."

Though he heard her words, Reyes was no longer paying attention to the sunrise or anything else beyond the Tempest's windows. Instead, he had long since leaned his cheek into the side of Kira's head. His eyes were opened but a bit unfocused as his mind was solely on his valkyrie, savoring the close feel of her within his arms.

Once more, in the rare quiet and peace that enfolded him, Reyes thought about what would become of him and Kira. Like the sunrise before them, there would be times where moments like this, though few and far between, served to remind him to enjoy the time he had with her.

Like Meridian itself and its future, there remained uncertainty. At the same time, however, there was hope.


End file.
